SOFTBALL

Fox Business president Brian Jones is defending host Maria Bartiromo on Monday after her “exclusive” interview with President Donald Trump over the weekend was widely panned by critics for its lack of substance and generally deferential posture toward the president. “Maria Bartiromo’s wide-ranging interview with President Trump made news on multiple fronts and elicited answers to numerous questions,” Jones told Business Insider. “We are proud of her hard work and continued success across each of her FBN and FNC programs.” During interview, Trump’s 23rd with Fox News or Fox Business since Inauguration Day, Bartiromo repeatedly agreed with the president’s demonstrably false assertions, including the suggestion the special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has “found nothing” linking his campaign to Russia. “I know,” Bartiromo responded. When Trump touted his tax cuts, she said, “I agree.” And when the president asserted that “farmers trust me,” she replied, “They do.”